Southampton transfer round-up: Talks opened with Alderweireld; £20m United bid for Schneiderlin rejected

With the transfer window finally opening, pre-season preparations at St. Mary's are in full swing.

Indeed, The Guardian reports that Southampton have opened talks with Atletico Madrid over a permanent move for central defender Toby Alderweireld.

Amid speculation that Tottenham Hotspur are looking to swoop in with a deal for the talented Belgian centre-back, Ronald Koeman's side have been spurred into landing the 26-year-old's signature.

Now, hoping to steal a march on other interested parties, the Saints have reportedly entered into negotiations with the Spanish side.

Alderweireld, who still has two years left on his Atletico contract, only made 12 La Liga appearances before being loaned to Southampton, where he recorded 26 Premier League outings.

Meanwhile, the Morgan Schneiderlin transfer saga looks set to continue, with various sources, including The Telegraph, reporting that Manchester United's latest bid - believed to be £20 million - has been rejected.

The Red Devils made the offer last week and have yet to return with a bigger bid, with their opening gambit falling considerably short of the Saints' £25 million asking-price; a valuation the club feel is realistic for a player of the Frenchman's quality.

Previous reports in the Telegraph suggest that Koeman is pushing Manchester United to complete the signing of Schneiderlin before the end of the week as the Dutchman does not want to miss out on his first‑choice replacements for the midfielder.

Chris Linnell

Chris is a freelance football writer from Wiltshire, England. He is currently studying Modern History and Politics at the University of Liverpool. He has written for various other sites, including the Boot Room and Bleacher Report. His work has also featured on Eurosport.